Water heater



Jan. 12, 1965 H. L.. WARNER WATER HEATER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1963 N23@ Nm www INVENTOR.

HAR/ey L. WARNER 5V H/s Arron/srs HAe/z/s, K/EcH, Russe/ L A/ev QMQQ wm. mi wg I Q1.. ....m. .Q

Jan. l2, 1965 H. l.. WARNER 3,155,103

WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Shree?l 3 FIG. 13. m4) /532 INVENTOR. HARRY L. WARNER ay H/s Arrow/5K5 HAR/a5, K 15CH, Russi-L1. /(ERA/ United States Patent() 3,165,103 WATER HEATER Harry L. Warner, 2508 E. Evergreen Ave., West Covina, Caiil". Filed `lan. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 254,718 16 Claims. (Cl. 126-350) The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for heating liquids, especially water, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for heating the water in a swimming pool to maintain it at a comfortable temperature. The invention contemplates a combustion heater preferably utilizing a gaseous fuel, such as natural gas.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a heater ofthe foregoing nature which is capable 'of transferring -to the water to be heated close to 100%, relative to atmospheric temperature, of the heat contained in the products of combustion resulting from burning of the gaseous fuel. More particularly, an object is to provide a heater having a heat transfer eiciency of the order of 90% to 95%. With a heat transfer efficiency of this order, very little heat escapes with the gaseous products of combustion discharged into the atmosphere, the temperature of the heater exhaust approaching atmospheric temperature.

Another object of the invention is to divided the heat transfer from the gaseous products of combustion to the Water into two phases, the iirst involving transferringl heat from the products of combustion to primary water in a water jacket at least partially enclosing an upstream combustion chamber or zone, and the second involving V'heat transfer to secondary water by direct and intimate contact with the exhaust gases in a water chamber downstream from the combustion chamber. A related object is to provide generally countercurrent iiow of the primary Water in the water jacket relative to the gaseous how,

Y i.e., to provide ow of primary Awater through the water jacket in a direction which is generally upstream'relative -to the-direction of e gaseous stream which includes the products of combustion.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lheater of the foregoing character which is horizontally oriented, having a horizontally facing air inletat'its' inlet end and a horizontally facing exhaust outlet at its outlet end, and which includes forced draft meansv for producing circulation therethrough from its inlet to its outlet.

A related 'object is to provide a heater having these chart acteristics'which is generally rectangular, i;e., which is rectangular in 'cross section in a horizontal planetherethrough and in perpendicular vertical planes therethrough. and which is horizontally elongated from its inletend to its outlet end.

` an attractive adjunct thereto. For example, by providing the heater of the invention Witha suitable seating surface, itmay be utilized as a bench merging with the environs of the'swimming pool. Various other aesthetically pleasingV treatments may be' utilized v which are not possible with above-ground vertical heaters, above-ground heaters Vhaving upright exhaust stacks, or the like.A

With the foregoing background, an important object t of the-invention is to provide a swimming pool heater' which includes: a horizontally oriented rectangular housing havinginlet and outlet ends and`provided at its inlet essais rice end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of com-bustion; forced draft means in the housing for owing air and products of combustion through the housing from its inlet to its outlet; a combustion chamber in the housing adjacent its inlet end; burner means in the cornbustion chamber adjacent the inlet end 'of the housing and facing the outlet end thereof; a water jacket at least partially enclosing the combustion chamber; a water chamber in the housing adjacent its outlet end; means in the housing for distributing waterrthroughout the water chamber into direct and intimate Contact with the prod-l ucts of combustion emanating from the combustion chamber and passing through the water chamber; a sump in the housing at the bottom of the water chamber for collecting the water distributed throughout the water chamber by the distributing means; the water jacket having Vdischarge means communicating with the sump; the sump having water outlet means; and water supply means connected to the water jacket and to the water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto. A related object is to provide generally countercurrent flow of the primary water inthe water jacket relative to the gaseous flow through the housing, by delivering water, to the water jacket at its downstream end and by dis' s more, may be 'attained by so dividing'the flow of water introduced into the heater by thewater supply means that the'flow of secondary water toV the water distributing means constitutes; a major portion of the total. `More specifically, the ovvv of primary `water to theiw'ater jacket constitutes a portion of the totalrangingup yto the'order of one-third. An extremely important -object "of vthe g inventionisr to divided the total.waterdeliveredto the heater between the water jacket and the water distributing means in the-foregoing proportions tolachieve maximum ,eiciency 'of heatjtransferto the total water flow."r

With the foregoing construction, thev temperature of the products of combustion in thecombu'stlion chamber I may be of the order of'1000" F., or more, yet the'item.

perature'of the exhaust gasesdischarged from the outlet of the housing is relatively low, efg., less than F., indicating that nearly all of theheat has beenvvextracted and transferred to the water, which is an important fea-l ture of the invention..

Another object of the `invention is to provide va heater wherein the 'water jacket which, at least partially encloses Y Vthe combustion chamber has the form of a metalinsert` in the housing, which is preferably of concrete.` A more specific object Vin this connection is to provide alwaterl jacket having fthe general configuration of anv inverted U,

thewater jacket'including ka transverse 'section extending l across the housing above thev combustion zone, 'and up-' right sections, depending fromcsuch upper;transverseY section, andlining the sides :of the combustionchamber. Still another object ofthe invention` is to provide distributingmeans, fordistributing the water throughout the water chamber 'into direct and intimate Contact withthe t lproducts of combustion, which may take various forms,

including spray-type distributing means for spraying water upwardly throughout the water chamber, drip-type distributing means for dripping water downwardly throughout the water chamber, ripple-typey distributing means for forming downwardly descending water ripples throughout the water chamber, andthe likes. l,

drawings, in which:

Y' lalong the arrowed rlineItZ--lZr-o-f FIG; il; and A 1 FlG. 13 jis a fragmentary, vertical longitudinall sec-v A further object of the invention is to provide vertical baffles in the water chamber, alternate ones of which extend downwardlyfrom the top of the water chamber toward the bottom thereof, and the' rest of which extend upwardly from the bottom of the water chamber toward the top thereof, and to provide in conjunction with such vertical battles distributing meansV for distributing water verticallyy throughout the water chamber between the various bailles, either by upward spnaying, o: downward dripping. With this construction, the products of combustion emanating from theV combustion chamber are required to follow a `serpentine path through the upwardly sprayed, or downwardly dripping, Water, as they passy over the upwardly'extendingbatlles and under the downwardly extending ba'les. The result is intimate contacting of the secondary water delivered to the water chamber with the exhaust gasesfrorn the Vcombustion chamber, thereby '.edeoting maximum heat transfer. from the exhaust gases to the secondary water, which is an important feature.

Yet another object of theinvenltion is to provide a heater wherein the sump mentioned extends longitudinally ,throughout substantially lthe entire housing, underlying the-combustion chamber as well as the water chamber, so that Vthe heated primary water discharged from the water jacket through the'upstream discharge means thereof falls directly into the sumpl for admixture with :the secondary ywaterheated in the water chamber by dibe evident to those skilled in the swinuning pool .heating art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with theI exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustratedY in thev accompanying FlG. lis a perspectivegview illustrating one embodinientvof lagswimming'pool4 heater. of the invention inkone possible. installation adjacent `a swimming pool; f FlGL 2 isfan enlarged, verticalxlongitudinal sectional view through the Swimmingpool heater of-EG. l 4and is vtaken-'as indicated Vby the' arrowed line Z-Zfof FdG. l; 1 i FIGQJ is a horizontal longitudinal sectional yview taken as indicated bythe arrowed line .of FIG." 2;

' FGS.1 4,15`jand 6 are vertical transverse sectional `views respectively taken along the la'rrowed lines lf-4, 5 5 and d ofy FlG 2FIG. V*6 being a fragmentary view;

v FIG. fl is` a`fragmentary,vertical longitudinal sectional' view of another embodiment;

llGslis a vertical transverse sectional view taken FIG.v 1231's a transverse vertical sectional. View taken tional View of an additional embodiment ot the invention;

' Referring'initially-to FlG. l, ofthe dnawingathe swim- 'ming pool-heater is designated generally therein. yby the numeralldand is shown as installed on a deck 2.2 adjacent a swimmingjpool'l; vAs clearly shown in the ligure fin question, the heater 2li has theforrnof a horizontally oriented, elongatedrectangular'l box which blends well firstofthe surroundings rof the swimming pool 2d, andv weight concrete, thus 'having' la. texture which corresponds tolthat of the deck 22,' and other concrete work, or stone work, which may be: incorporated in the decor of the Y is rectangular in cross section, both vin horizontal and@ environs of the pool. The concrete of the housing 26 may be suitably colored in any appropriate manner to fit in with the decor of the pool area. Additionally, the heater 2d of the invention may be utilized as a bench by providing it with any desired bench top, shown in phantom at 28. This provides an additional utilitarian attribute for the heater Ztl, and further serves to com-plernent fthe pool environs.

ln the particular installation illustrated in FlG. l of the drawings, the heater Ztl is provided with a suction line 3i? connected to `a pump 32, FIGS. 2 and 3, for delivering water from the pool 2.4i to the heater through a water inlet line e2 connected to the pump outlet. The heated water is returned to the pool through an outlet or return line 34. In the heater installation illustrated, which may be one for an existing pool, the suction and outlet lines 3d and 34 are merely laid'on `the deck 22, with at least the suction line 3o extending over one edge lof the pool into the water therein, the outlet end of the outlet line being submerged also if desired.

lt will be understood, however, that these connections between the heater 2@ and the pool 2d are illustrative only, and that the necessary connections may be concealed below the deck 22, particularly 'in an installation made at the time of building the pool. ln such an installation, the water inlet line leading to the heater Ztl and the outlet line for returning heated water to the pool may be in any desired locations. For example, the inlet line of the heater 2@ may be connected tothe discharge side of a filter, not shown` with which the pool is equipped. This has the advantage of -insuring that only ltered water is passed through the heater 2d. Under such circumstances, the pump 32 may be eliminated, and the pump, not shown, normally provided for circulating water-through the filter may be used to deliver water to be heated to the heater 2d after filtering. Thus, it will be understood that the heater Ztl of the invention may be connected lo the pool 2din'various ways and that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the specic way shoufn.

Referring to EIGS. 1 to 6 of the-drawings, the houslng 2d has the form ot a horizontally oriented tube which verticalllongitudinal planes therethrough, and in transverse vertical planes therethrough. The housing 25 has?- horizontall-y spaced inlet and outlet ends 3d and 33 respectively providing an inlet Il@ and an outlet 42 which face horizontally in opposite directions. The inlet dit and the outlet 42 are shown as provided with inlet and outlet grilles or screens 4d and respectively, The heater 2t) includes forced draft means 42S for producing gaseous flow through the housing 25 from its outlet42. The forced draft means @lil is shown as including a blower 5@ mounted in the 'housing 2d adjacent its outlet end 31d and having its outlet connected to the outlet d2 of the housing rifhe blower 5d may be driven in any suitable manner, as by an electric motor?, not shown. forced draft means 4S is shown as located adjacent the outlet' Vend 3&3 of the housing 2li, the invention is not iimitedithereto. 'For example, the forced draft means may be located adjacent the inlet end 3o of the housing y26, or

l forced draft may he attained by utilizing conventional" pressurebui'ners tot' thegas barrier means hereinafter with a section of reduced width, PEG. 3, containing acombustion chamber SZ of substantial length extending approximately to the longitudinal midpoint of the housing. Within the combustion chamber 52 adjacent the upstream end thereof is a fgas burner means 54 of any suitable construction'which faces in the downstream direction, ie., which faces. toward the outlet end 3S of the housing. l

Vi/hile the The gas burner means 5d is shown as in-Y cluding a plurality of downstream-facing burners and includes the usual gas controls, and the like, it being unnecessary to describe the gas burner means in detail herein.

The combustion chamber 52 is enclosed at its top and along its sides by a water jacket Se which is preferably a separate component inserted into the housing 26. The water jacket 56 has the general form of an inverted U, including a transverse upper section 53 extending across the interior of the housing 26 adjacent the top thereof, and including depending side sections 6G extending downwardly along the sides of the housing substantially to the bottom thereof. With this construction, heat from burning gas in the combustion chamber 52, and from products of combustion therein, is transferred to primary water in the water jacket 56 through the lower wall of the upper section 58 thereof, and through the inner walls of the side sections 6th thereof.

The heater 20 includes the water inlet line 62, which extends longitudinally through the housing 25 along the bottom wall thereof to a transverse manifold 64 located at substantially the longitudinal midpoint of the housing. The inlet line 62 is provided with water from the pool 24, in the particular construction illustrated, through the suction line 3@ and the pump 32. As hereinbefore explained, however, the inlet line 62 may be supplied with water from the pool 24 in other ways, as by a pump associated with a filter, not shown, for filtering the water in the pool.

Branching olf from the manifold 64 are primary water supply lines 66 which are connected to the upper section 58 of the water jacket 55 at the downstream end of the water jacket. The branch lines 61'; are so designed that they deliver primary water to the water jacket 56 in the proportion hereinbefore set forth. The primary water introduced into the water jacket 56 through the branch lines 65 from the manifold 64 circulates throughout the upper and side sections 5S and @tl of the water jacket by convection, the cool water initially introduced circulating downwardly in the side sections and eventually upwardly therein as it is heated. The general flow of primary Waterthroughthe water jacket S6 is preferably in the upstream direction relative to the gaseous ow from the inlet 40 to the outlet 42 of the housing 26. In other words, the general primary Lwater tlow through the water jacket Se is countercurrent relative to the gaseous flow. Ultimately, the heated primary water is discharged from the water jacket S6 through discharge openings 68, FIGS. 2 and 6, formed in the bottom wall of the upper section 5S at the end of the water jacket which isclosest to the inlet end 36 of the housing 26. It will be understood that the size of the discharge openings 63 is so related to the rate of primary water introduction through the branch supply lines 66 as to maintain the water level in the water jacket 56 above the bottom Wall of the upper section 58 thereof.

As an'alternative to the'foregoing, the water jacket.

56 may be completely lled and the water therein may be maintained at superatmosphere pressure. This may j be accomplished by utilizing the back pressure provided by the spray nozzles 82 hereinafter described to maintain superatmosphericl pressure inthe water jacket 56, and by making the discharge openings n sufliciently small to maintain the desired superatmospheric pressure, while still bleeding o through the discharge openings the desired 10% to 15% of the total water flow.v Another possibility in this connection is that, when the water jacket 56 is pressurized, the water jacket and the spray nozzles 82 to be discussed may be` connected in series, with the water jacket upstream from the spray nozzles, instead of connecting the water jacket and the spray nozzlesk in parallel as shown. y

The heated primary water discharged from the water jacket 56 through the discharge openings dit falls downstream darn 74 at the outlet end 38 of the housing. Extending the sump 70 longitudinally under the burner means 54 is important since it prevents overheating of the bottom wall of the housing 26. Thus, the combustion chamber 52 is completely jacketed by water to prevent excessive local heating of any part of the housing 26, thereby preventing damage thereto and/ or injury to persons coming into contact therewith. It will be understood that the water jacket 56 encloses the top and sides of the combustion chamber 52, while the water in the sump 79 jackets the bottom of the combustion chamber.

The sump 70 is shown as provided with a water outlet 76 extending through the downstream dam 74 in the particular construction illustrated, and communicating with the outlet or return line 34 leading back to the pool 24. lt will be understood, however, that in a heater installation made at the time of building the pool 24, the outlet 76 may be formed in the bottom wall of the housing 26 so as to drain heated water from the sump 76 into a return line below the deck 22. Also, instead of returning the heated water to the pool 24 by gravity, a suitable pump, such as a jet pump, not shown, associated with the sump outlet, may be utilized.

Downstream from and having approximately the same longitudinal extent as the combustion chamber 52 and the water jacket 56 is a water chamber 80 wherein secondary water is intimately brought into direct contact with the exhaust gases from the combustion chamber, the primary water delivered to the water jacket and the secondary water distributed throughout kthe water chamber 80 making up the total water supplied to the heater 20. The secondary water is distributed uniformly throughout the water chamber 80, into direct and intimate contact with the products of combustion, by upwardly directed spray nozzles 82 mounted on branch pipes 84 located adjacent the bottom of the housing 26 and extending longitudinally downstream from the manifold 64. In the particular construction, illustrated, there are five of the branch pipes 84 and each is provided with six of the spray nozzles 82 for a total of thirty spray nozzles. However, this number can be varied. v 1

The secondary water is sprayed upwardly throughout the entire water chamber 80 by the spray nozzles 82 to insure intimate and direct contact'with the products of combustion flowing from the combustion chamber'52. The upwardly-sprayed secondarypwater thus extracts heat from the products of combustion, and theheated secondary Water falls back into the sump for admixture with the heated primary water discharged-into thesump from the water jacket S6. If desired, the sump 70 may contain a limestone' bed 86 to absorb excess carbonio acid which may result from dissolving of carbon dioxide in the secondary waterf kThe water sprayed upwardly along the sidesof the housing 26 'may encounter relatively `stagnant products of combustion and thus may not be heated as much as the water sprayed upwardly in the transverse center of .the housing. For better heating of the secondary water sprayed upwardly along thesides of the water chamber Btl, the latter is provided at :the top thereof and along the sides thereof with longitudinal troughs' 8S which catch some of such water.V These troughs deliver the water Wardly into a sump-70 which extends substantiallythe trapped thereby-into transverse troughs 90 which extend across the water chamber adjacent the top thereof and which have perforated bottoms to cause the trapped water to drip downwardly in fine streams across the stream of exhaust gases lowing through thehousing 26. The 4trapping troughs Land the drip troughs 90 communieating therewith improve heat transfer to the secondary water somewhat, although they are not absolutely essential in the embodiment under consideration,

To further improve heat transfer to the secondary water distributed throughout the water chamber S0, the exhaust gases from the combustion chamber 52 are caused to encarna traverse thewater chamber longitudinally in a serpentine fashion. This is accomplished by alternating upwardly extending and downwardly extending balles 9?: and 9d, respectively. The upwardly extending bafiles $2 extend upwardly from adjacent the bottom of the water chamber 8i?, their lower edges preferably being below the water level in the sump 7d, to points below the top of the water chamber. Conversely, the ballles 94- extend downwardly from the top of the water chamber gli to points above the water level in the sump 7h. Thus, in traversing the Water chamber longitudinally, the products of combustion from the combustion chamber 52 must liow upwardly over the balles 92 and downwardly under the bailles 9d, the products of combustion thus following the desired serpentine path to insure more intimate contact with the secondary water distributed throughout the water chamber to promote heat transfer efliciency.

f An important feature of the invention is that the bafdes V92 and 94 are so dimension and spaced that the area of the passages between adjacent baffles, the area of the passages over the bames 9.2, and the area of the passages under the bales 94, are all substantially equal. Thus, the exhaust gasesllowing through the system of bafdes 92 and 94 follow'a serpentine path having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area. Another important feature isthat this cross-sectional area is less than the area of the air inlet 4i?.

With the foregoing construction, the flow resistance through the system of baliles lf2 and 9d results in a higher pressure inthe exhaLstV gases at Vthe upstream end of the system'of bales. As a result, the first baille in the series is heated to a relatively high temperature over most of its area, successive baffles in the series being heated to progressively lower extents. Water sprayed upwardly throughout the water chamber dll by the spray nozzles $2 comes into contactY with the heated bal-lies 92 and @el to produceheating of such water by direct Contact, such direct-.contact heating of the water decreasing from baille to baille in the downstream direction. This effect further promotes high heat-transfer efficiency, which is an important feature.

As hereinbefore pointed out, I have discovered that, with the construction described, surprisingly high heat transfer eiliciencies, in the range ofv 90% to 95%, or higher, can be achieved by proportioning the flow of primary water to the water jacket 56 and the llow of secondary waterV to` the water chamber dil in the manner f hereinbeforeset forth. The, result` is only a very slight heat loss through the outlet 4t2, as indicated by a discharge temperature not much above` atmospheric, which is an Vimportant feature.

v VIt will be understood that the heater Ztl ofthe invention may also be utilizedas n n-evaporative cooler, when necessary, to cool the swimming poolwater. In `this instance, the water from 'the swimming pool is circulated through v the'heater 2b with the burner means 54 inoperative, the

Waterpbeing e'vaporatively cooled in the water spray chamber` hlas air is circulated through the heater 2t) by theV Vforced draft meansy d8. i swimming pool water is necessary in many desert or semi- Such evaporative cooling of l. before described is the presently preferred means for distributing the secondary Water throughout the water chamber 30 lvarious other distributing means may also be used. Various distributingmeans are shown in FIGS. 7 to i3 of the drawingsand will nowfhe described. f i v Considering FIGS. Tand V8. of the drawings, illustrate therein is a water chamber lll@ corresponding to the water chamber dil and provided therein with alternately upwardly extending and downwardly extending baffles 102 and respectively corresponding to the bailles 92 and 94. Located -at the top of the water chamber Hill, and laterally and longitudinally coextensive therewith, is a drip pan lille which is supplied with the secondary water through a supply line ldd. The bottom of the drip pan lilo is provided with numerous perforations which permit a very large number of line water streams to drop downwardly through the water chamber lull between the battles l@ and ldd. Such tine drip streams, coupled with the serpentine passage of products of combustion over the baffles lil?. and under the battles lilo, produces very intimate contact between the secondary water and the products of combustion to produce a high heat transfer elliciency.

In FIGS. 9 and l0 of the drawings is shown a water chamber ll@ having at the bottom thereof a plurality of spray pipes ll?. extending longitudinally downstream from a secondary-water supply manifold llI-i. The spray pipes ll have perforations producing a multitude of line upward jets of water which impinge on concave deflectors ll@ at the top of the water chamber. These deilectors break the water jets up into iinely divided sprays which descend downwardly through the water chamber 110 to the sump at the bottom thereof. Again, the result is intimate contact between the secondary water and the products of combustion to promote heat transfer. It will be understood that, in this embodiment, the water level in the sump must be maintained below the upper surfaces of the spray pipes lli.

Turn-ing now to FIGS. ll. and l2 of the drawings, illustrated therein is a water chamber l2@ which includes a secondary-water supply line i222 tor delivering water to an upper ripple tray or pan lZl which slopes in the longitudinal direction. The water from the ripple tray 124 falls onto another ripple tray M6 sloping longitudinally in the opposite direction, this being repeated through ripple trays lS, lh and lZ. The water from the last ripple tray 3132 discharges into the sump at the bottom of the water chamber lib. As the water cascades downwardly along the respective ripple trays, and from each ripple tray in the series to the next, it is brought into intimate Contact with the products of combustion to produce excellent heat transfer. lt will be understood that the ripple trays are rippled or corrugated transversely of the Water chamber 31.20.

Considering FlG. i3 of the drawings, illustrated ltherein is a water chamber life provided with a secondary-water supply line ll terminating in a manifold i153 for delivering water to a series of sloping trays 15d, 156, 155, 164) and lZ corresponding to the trays lZl, llo, 1218, l@ and l32, In this instance, the trays have perforated bottoms and thus act as drip trays for dripping water vertically through the water chamber lSiB, any excess water on each tray spilling over the lower end thereof either onto the next tray, or into the sump in the case of the last tray E62. The combined dripping and cascading effect produced by this embodiment also results in excellent heat transfer to the secondary water distributed throughout the water chamber lSil.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes or" illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the claims which follow:

l. ln a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally oriented housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a hori- Zontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;

(b) forced draft means in said housing for llowing air n let end thereot; g

and products of combustion through said housing from its inlet to its outlet;

(c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent its inlet end; v v

(d) burner means in said combustion chamber adjacent the inlet end of said housing and facing the outlet end thereof;

(e) a water jacket at least partially enclosing said cornbustion chamber;

(f) a water chamber in said housing adjacent vits outlet end;

(g) means in said housing for distributing water throughout said water chamber into driect and inti- `mate contact with the products ofcombustion emanating from said combustion chamber and passing through said water chamber; t

(h) a sump in said housing at the bottom of said water chamber for collecting-the water distributed throughout said Water chamber by said distributing means;

(i) said water jacket having discharge means communicating with said s ump;

(j) said sump having water outlet means; and

(k) water supply means connected to said'water jacket and to said water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto. j

2. In a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally oriented rectangular housing having inlet and outlet ends and `provided at its inlet end with ahorizontally facing` air inlet and Vat its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion; i

(b) forced draft means in said housingfor owing air x and` products of combustion throught said housing lfrom its inlet to its outlet;

. (c) aV combustion chamber in said housing adjacent lits inlet end;

(d) burner means in Vsaid combustion chamberadja-4 cent the inlet end of said housing and facing the out- (e) 'a water packet at least partially venclosing said combustion chamber; Y

(f) awater chamber in said housing adjacent its outlet end;` t

(g) means in said housing for. distributing water throughout said water chamberinto direct and intimate contact with ,the products of combustion emanating from said combustion chamber and passing through said water chamber; Y (lz) a sump in said housing atthe bottom of said water chamber for collecting the w'a'ter distributed through said water chamber by said distributing means; (i) said water jacket having discharge means` communicating with said sump; f (j) said sump having water outlet means; and (k) water supply means connected to said water jacket and to said water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto, including means for delivering a major portion of the water to said water.

distributing means.- 3. In a 'swimming pool heater, they combination of: (a) a horizontaily oriented rectangular housing having A inlet and "outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and. at its outlet end with a horizontallyv rfacingoutlet forl products .of combustion;v l t (b) forced draft means in said housing for tiowing air and products of combustiontlirough'said housing Y from its inlet to its outlet;

1 (c) acombustion chamberin said housing'adjacent itslinlet end;

g (d) burner means in said combustion-chamber adjacent the inlet end .of said housingjand facing the outlet end thereof; Y (e) vcombustion chamber;

a water j-acket '`at least partially enclosing'said Y (f) a water chamber in said housing adjacent its outlet end;

(g) means in said housing for distributing water throughout said water chamber into direct and intimate Contact with the products of combustion emat natingfrom said combustion chamber and passing through said water chamber; (It) a sump in said housing at the bottom of said t water chamber for collecting the water distributed throughout said water chamber by said distributing means;

(i) saidwater jacket having discharge means com# municating with said sump;

(j) said sump having water outlet means; and

(k) water supply means connected to said water jacket and to said water distributing means'. for delivering Water to be-heated thereto, including means for deliverytup to the order of one-third of the water to said water jacket and the balance to said Water distributing means. t

4. In a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally oriented rectangular housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at itsinlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and `at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;

(b) forced draft means in said housing for flowing 'air and products of combustion through said housing from its inlet to its outlet; v

(c) a combustion chamber insaid housing*adjacent` l partially enclosing said (11)'a sump Ain said housing atthe bottom of said'water, chamber for collecting the VWater distributed throughout said water chamber Vbys aiddistributingv means; .(z') said water jacket having discharge means communicating with said sump;

. (j) said sump having water outlet means; and

l(k) water supply means connected to said'water jacket and to said water distributing means for delivering water to be'heated thereto.' v

5. In a swimming poolheater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally oriented rectangular housinghaving inletand outlet ends andprovided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet en d with a horizontally facing outlet lfor products of combustion; 'Y

(b) forced draft-means in said housing for flowing air and products of combustion-through saidfhousing from its inlettto itsoutlet;

(c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent its inlet'end; l (d) burner means in saidcombustion chamber adjacent the inletv end of said housing and facing the outlet end thereof; i (e) a water jacket at least partially enclosing said combustion chamber; r j

I* (Lf) a water chamber in said housing adjacent its= outlet end;

(g) drip-type distributing means in said lhousing for dripping water downwardly throughout said water chamber into direct--and intimate` contact kwith the productsV ofcombustion emanating from said cornel;`-lete11d;-.k y. i Y Y l 't Y l v) riprile-type distributing means in said housing -for rippling 'waterL downwardly throughout said waterv ll Y bustion chamber and passing through said water j chamber;

- y(It) asurnp in said housing at the bottom of said water chamber for collecting vthe water distributed throughout said Water chamber by 4said distributing means; (i) said water jacket having discharge means communicating with saidsump; (i)r said sump havingtrwater outlet means; and

. (k) watersupply means connected to said Water jacket and to said Water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto.

Y 6. In a swimming pool heater, the combination ot:

(a) a horizontally'oriented rectangularl housing 'having inlet andfsoutlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end With a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion; Y (b) forced draft means in said housing for dowing V'air and products of combustion through said housing Y from its inlet toits outlet;

(c) a `combustion chamber in said housing adjacent chamberfinto direct and intimate contact with the products of combustionemanating from saidA coinbustion chamber and passingtthrough said water chamber;- i" j (h) a sump-in said housing at the bottom of said water y V chamber for collecting the water distributed throughlout'said Water chamber byrsaid distributing means; v

iti) said Water jacket having discharge means, corn.- municating with said sump;

i (j) said sump havingfwater outletmeans; and

Y' (Ik) Water'supply means connected .to said Awaterjaclt fand to said water distributing means for delivering water to be Vheated thereto; Y

7. In a swimming pool heater, the combination of: (a)AV athori'zo'ntally oriented rectangular housing having; inlet and Aoutlet endsV and provided at its inlet end;

with a'horizont'allyfacing air inlet and at its outlet end with arhorizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;l j Y I (b) forced" draft means inV said housing for iowing vair-and products of combustion throughsaid housing from itsL inlet to its outlet; j Y t (c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent itsinletend; j Y l '(61)' vburner rneansrin said combustion chamber adjacent endV thereof; 1 Y

the inlet end of said housing and facing the outlet (elia water jacket" at least kpartiallyV enclosing :said

. combustionchamber;

. (g) verticaltbatiies in said-Water chamber alternate ones ofv Whicliextend downwardly from the top of said Avfater chamber toward ythe bottom thereof, and

i i l(f) a water/chamber,'nsaidhousing adjacent its outthercst ofrwhich extendupwardly from theb'o-ttom of said yWater'chamber toward the top thereof;

I {(h) 'meansjin' said Vhousing forV distributing Water vervvtically throughoutisaid water chamber and between v Y said bafllesfintodirect Aand intimate contact with'the' products of,combustionernanatingtfrom; said lcom- Vbustion Ychamber andV passing vtln'dugh said Water chair/mercy;` f.

l d (i) afsiunja said housingat the bottoni of-fsaid water chamber for collecting the water distributed throughout said Water chamber by said distributing means;

(j) said Water jacket having discharge means cornrnunicati-ng with said sump;

(k) said sump having Water outlet means; and

(l) Water supply means connected to said water jacket and to said water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto.

8. ln a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally oriented rectangular housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet endfwith a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;

.(b) forced draft means in said housing for iiowing j AYsaid Water chamber toward the bottom thereof, and

the rest ofwhich extend upwardly from the bottom of said water chamber toy/ard the top thereof;

"(11) the area of the passages between adjacent haines,

the area of the passages below said downwardly extending bafliedand the area of the passages above said upwardly extending baffles, all being substanr tially equal and being less than the area of said air inlet; Y

(i) means in said housing for distributing water verticallyjthroughotut said water chamber 'and between said baiics into direct and intimate contact with the products of combustion emanating from said combustion chamber andpassing through said water chamber;

(j) a sump in said housing at the bottom of Asaid water chamber for collecting the water distributed throughj Out said water chamber by said distributing means;

(k) said water jacket having discharge means communicating with saidsurnp;

(l) said sump havingrwater outlet means; and

(m) ywater supply means connected to said water jacket and to said Water distributing means for delivering water to be heated thereto.

9. in a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

(a) a horizontally' oriented rectangular housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of Combustion;

(Is) forced draft means in said housing for flowing air and products of combustion through said housing from its inlet to its outlet;

V(c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent Vlte) a Water jacket enclosing the sides and top of said combustion chamber; Y (f) a Water chamber in said housing adjacent its outlet endr- 1 (g) meansmin. said housing for distributing water throughout said Water chamber into direct and intii f lmate contact with the products of combustion emanailing from/said combustion chamber and passing through said water chamber;

l 1l."ln a swimming pool .(a) a horizontally oriented housing having` inlet and i I (g).means in said .i housing for throughout-.said water chamber into direct and inti- (h) a sump in said housing below said combustion and water chambers for collecting water from said Water jacket and the water distributed throughout said water chamber by said distributing means; v

(i) said Water jacketv having discharge means communicating with said sump;

(j) said sump havingr water outlet means; and

(k) Water supply means connected to said water jacket' d and to said water distributing means for delivering Water to be heated thereto.

10. In a swimming pool heater, the combination of:

.(zz) a horizontally oriented rectangular housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet andv at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;

(b) Yforced draft means in said housing for flowing air and products of combustion through said housing d from its inlet to its outlet; i.

(c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent its inlet end;

(d) burner means in said combustion chamber adjacent the inlet end of said housing and facing the outlet end thereof;

(e) a water jacket enclosing the sides and top of said combustion chamber;

(f) a Water chamber in said housing adjacent its outlet end; v

(g) means in said housing for distributing Water throughout said water chamber into direct and intimate contact with the products of combustion emanating from said combustion chamber and passing through said Water chamber;

(h) a sump in said housing below said'combustion and waterchambers for collecting water from said waterA jacket and the water distributed throughout said waterchamber by saiddistributing means;`

' said water jacket having discharge means located adjacent the top thereof, and located adjacent the end thereof-Which is closest to the inlet eindv of said housing, andlcommunicating with said` sump;` (i) said Sump having water outlet means; and

' (k) water supply means connected to said water jacket,

adjacent the end thereof which is closest to the outlet end of said housing, and connected to said water distributing means, for delivering water to be heated to said water jacket and said water distributing means. i heater, the combination of:

outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet'and at its outlet end with a horizontally-facing outlet for products of combustion;

(b) forced draft means in said housing for flowing air and products of combustion through said housing from its inlet to its outlet; c

(c) a combustion chamber in said housing adjacent its (d) burne'r.means insaid combustion chamber adja-"fojv inlet end; j

bustion chamber;

E (e)` a waterjacket at least partially enclosing saidl com-V a water chamber-"in housing adjacent its `outlet'j.

. (h) a sump in said housing at the bottom of said water Y chamber for collecting theV water distributed'throughout said Water chamber by said distributing'means;

iol

distributing vwater i (c) a Water chamber in said housing;

(d) 4vertical baffles in said Waterjchamber alternate.

onesof which extend downwardly from kthe top of (i) said water jacket having discharge means communibination of (a) Va horizontally oriented housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and `at its outlet lend with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet;

(b) forced draft means'in said housing forl flowing air through said 'housing from its inlet to its outlet;

(c) a water chamber in said housing; .Y l

(d) vertical batlies in said Water chamber alternate ones of which extend downwardly from the top of said water chamber toward the bottom thereof, and

the rest of which extend upwardly from the bottom of said water chamber toward the top thereof; l

(e) meansin said housing for distributing water vertically throughout said Water chamber Vand between said bafes into direct and intimate contact with` air passing through said watergchamber;

(f) a sump in saidhousinga the bottom of said water chamber for collectingl the Water distributed tlgirough-v Y out said waterv'chamberby said distributing means; (g) said sump having water outlet means; ,andv (h) watersupplymeansrlcon'nected to said kwater distributing means for delivering'water.thereto. f 513. ln a swimming pool water heat exchanger,l the combinationy of: 1

` (a) a horizontally v oriented housingl having .inlet and outlet endsand provided at its inlet end4 with al hori zontally facing air inlet and at its y.outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet;

k(b) forced draft means insaid `housing for flowing air through said housing from itsf-inlet to its outlet;

said water chamber. toward the bottom thereof, and the rest ofV which extend upwardly from the bottom of 'said water chamber toward the top thereof;

(e) the area of the passages between adjacentbatlies,

the area of the passages below'said downwardly .extendingbailies, andthe areaof thepassages above said upwardly extending baffles, all beingsubstantially equal; v

(f) means in said housing for distributing water vertically throughout said'water chamber and between said baiiies vinto direct and intimate contact with air 'j passing through said' water chamber; d y (g) a sump in'said housing at the bottom of. said water chamber for collecting the waterdistributed throughout said' water chamber by said .distributing-means;

(h.) said sump having water outlet means; and Y (i) water supply means connected to said` Watervvdis# r'tributing meansfor delivering water thereto.

' 14. In a swimming poo1"wat`erfheat exchanger, the'v combination of;

(zi)fa'horizont ally oriented housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at itsrinletend with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a ones of which extend downwardly from the top of said water chambertoward the bottom thereof, and

`jacket and said water chamberg. (i) means for supplying-water tosaid water jaclret and A(f) means in 'said housing for distributing water vertically throughout said water chamber 4and between said bafiles into direct and intimate contact with air passing throughtsaid Watercharnber;

(g) a-sump in said housing at the bottom of said water chamber for collecting the waterV distributed throughout said watencharnber by said distributing means;

(h) said sump having water outlet means; and

(i) waterV supply means connected to said water distributing means for delivering water thereto.

15. ln-'a water heater, the combination of z (a). a horizontally oriented elongated housing having at its respective ends an inlet for air and an outlet for air and products of combustion;

i Kb) forced draft means in said housing for owing air and products ofgcombustion longitudinally through said housing to said outlet;

Y'(c^) a` combustion chamber in said housing adjacent land. communicating with said inlet;

Y (b) vburner means insaid Acombustionchamber;

(el) .fai water jacket atleast partially enclosing said combustion chamber; n afwater chamberl '1n-said Vhousing between and communicating with said combustion chamber andy 'said outletsg' u. ,v '(g) vrmeans in said housing for dispersing'water through- "out saidrwater chamber into -direct and intimate conwater chamber;

L (It) Water outlet means'communicatingiwithjsaid water said water dispersing meansg-and Y j "1( j):v saidfwater supplying meansincluding means for detactvwith Ythe products of 'combustion emanating from Asaid''combustion chamber and, passing throughrsaid alcaide livering a major portion of the water to said water dispersing means.

16. In a water heater, the combination of (a) a horizontally oriented housing having inlet and outlet ends and provided at its inlet end with a horizontally facing air inlet and at its outlet end with a horizontally facing outlet for products of combustion;

(b) forced draft means in said housing for flowing air and products ofcombustion through said housing from its inlet to its outlet;

(c) a combustion charnber in said housing adjacent its inlet end;

(d) burner means in said combustion chamber adjacent the inlet end of said housing;

(e) a water jacket at least partially enclosing said combustion chamber;

(f) a water chamber in said housing adjacent its outlet end;

(g) means in said housing for distributing Water throughout said water chamber into direct and intimate contact with the products of combustion emanating from said combustion chamber and passing through said water chamber;

(h) a sump in said housing at the bottom of said Water chamber for collecting the water distributed throughout said water chamber by said distributing means;

(i) water outlet means for receiving water from said water jacket and said sump; and

() means for supplying Water to said water jacket and vsaid Water distributing means.

Reerences Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS v HurlbutV Nov. 8, 1898 382,632 Waldbaur Feb. 14, 1995 1,527,740 Lipshitz Feb. 24, 1925 2,327,039 Heath Aug. 17, 1943 `2,767,784 Dean Oct. 23, 1956 j FOREIGN PATENTS i Great Britain of 1994 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OE CORRECTION January 12, 1965 PatentNo. 3,165,103

Harry L. Warner It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

for "divided", eacj ccxsereaneospieee"reulveSuperatmOSpheC Column '-7, line 19 for dimension read dimensioned Column 9 line 13, for dr-lect read direct line 33 for "throught" read through line 39, for "thereoff" read thereof same column 9, line 40, for "packet" read jacket Column l0, lines I7 anch-18, for "delivery" read delivering COUIHII .14, lneS 14 and l5, Strike out "horizontally` facing air niet and at its outlet end with a"; column I6, line 30, for (i)" read (j) Signed and sealed this 29th day of June 1965 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J,J BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attestng Officer 

1. IN A SWIMMING POOL HEATER, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A HORIZONTALLY ORIENTED HOUSING HAVING INLET AND OUTLET ENDS AND PROVIDED AT ITS INLET END WITH A HORIZONTALLY FACING AIR INLET AND AT ITS OUTLET END WITH A HORIZONTALLY FACING OUTLET FOR PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION; (B) FORCED DRAFT MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR FLOWING AIR AND PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION THROUGH SAID HOUSING FROM ITS INLET TO ITS OUTLET; (C) A COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN SAID HOUSING ADJACENT ITS INLET END; (D) BURNER MEANS IN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER ADJACENT THE INLET END OF SAID HOUSING AND FACING THE OUTLET END THEREOF; (E) A WATER JACKET AT LEAST PARTIALLY ENCLOSING SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER; (F) A WATER CHAMBER IN SAID HOUSING ADJACENT ITS OUTLET END; (G) MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER THROUGHOUT SAID WATER CHAMBER INTO DIRECT AND INTIMATE CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION EMANATING FROM SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND PASSING THROUGH SAID WATER CHAMBER; (H) A SUMP IN SAID HOUSING AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID WATER CHAMBER FOR COLLECTING THE WATER DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT SAID WATER CHAMBER BY SAID DISTRIBUTING MEANS; (I) SAID WATER JACKET HAVING DISCHARGE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUMP; (J) SAID SUMP HAVING WATER OUTLET MEANS; AND (K) WATER SUPPLY MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID WATER JACKET AND TO SAID WATER DISTRIBUTING MEANS FOR DELIVERING WATER TO BE HEATED THERETO. 